Jun 9, 2008

MISSISSAUGA, ON - Today, Mitsubishi Motor Sales Of Canada Inc. (MMSCAN) announced that it will donate 15 vehicles to support Canadian teaching facilities across the country.

This announcement was made during a ceremony at the Alberta Vehicle Extrication Association's (AVEA) head office in Calgary where Mitsubishi presented AVEA with a 2008 Lancer sedan.

AVEA is one of the organizations in Canada that will receive a vehicle for training purposes, where it will be used for teaching firefighters in roadside rescue missions.

Randy Schmitz, Alberta Chair for AVEA was on hand to receive the keys to a 2008 Lancer from Peter Boutros, Manager, Technical Services for MMSCAN. This ceremony marked the beginning of the donations to teaching facilities across the country.

"We're honored to be able to support organizations like AVEA," said Boutros. Traffic and vehicle safety is a big concern for all of us and with summer fast approaching it's top of mind."

"Receiving this vehicle will enable all of us to simulate real life road accidents, test our knowledge and to learn additional life saving skills," said Schmitz. "We'll share this valuable information with other fire departments, where it will be applied to help save lives in the real world."

AVEA trains firefighters in extrication, a skill that's becoming more and more hazardous and complex as car manufacturers meet new passenger-safety standards to make their vehicles safer and more crash worthy.

One way rescuers can increase extrication proficiency is by attending vehicle extrication challenges, such as the ones organized by AVEA. Every year since 1984, rescue personnel in Canada and the U.S. have assembled six-member teams to compete in simulated road accidents that test their skills, experience and knowledge.

During training sessions and competitions, vehicles are crushed together along with other props, such as fire hydrants, telephone poles, concrete barriers and any other object that could be involved in a real accident. A live "patient" then climbs into the wreckage and awaits rescue. The team is summoned to the area and the 20-minute timer starts.

Additional organizations that will be receiving one or more vehicles include, the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), Red Deer College, Centennial College, Mohawk College, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the Ontario Police College.

Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada, Inc (MMSCAN), is the exclusive Canadian distributor of a full line of Mitsubishi Motors' brand passenger cars and sport utility vehicles. MMSCAN markets three categories of vehicles - sedans, sporty cars and sport utility vehicles - consisting of six distinctive vehicles covering a broad market range.